05/02/2024
27 years ago (1997): Fans lined up outside of gyms all across Kansas to see this young woman play. Jackie Stiles was then a senior at Claflin HS (Claflin, KS - population 601). Can you imagine if she played in the social media era? Jackie’s athletic accomplishments are numerous and diverse but she is known best for her endeavors on the basketball court. As a junior in high school she scored 61 points in 17 minutes of the opening game of the season. By the end of her senior year she becomes the leading scorer for boys and girls in Kansas High School history with 3,603 points (35.7 ppg career average), including 1,252 her senior season - an average of 46.4 ppg. Jackie is the state record holder with 71 points in one game. During her four years of high school she won a state record 14 of the possible 16 gold medals in track - the other two were silvers, including the first to win the 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 meters in one day. She placed in the top three in state cross country all four years. This well rounded athlete also played tennis for the Claflin Wildcats and placed 2nd in state all three seasons. She broke a bone in her wrist her sophomore year of high school and still averaged over 20+ ppg with her left hand. At Missouri State - then known as SMS, she was known for her spinning jump shots, driving lay ups and 3-pointers. She was the all time leading scorer in NCAA division one basketball history until the record was broken a few years back with 3,393 points. Her career at MSU culminated in the 2001 NCAA Tournament where she led the Lady Bears to a final four appearance. In the sweet-sixteen game she scored 41 points in an 81 – 71 shocker against top-ranked Duke. Jackie was the the first woman to score more than 1,000 points in a single season, recently Caitlin Clark of Iowa also accomplished that feat. In her college career she procured a number of outstanding awards including: Three time Missouri Valley Player of the year, won the Wade Trophy for best female basketball player in the nation, and the Broderick cup for college women athlete of the year in 2001. Verizon Academic All American 1st team and the Kodak 1st team All American. In the 2001 WNBA draft she was picked fourth by the Portland Fire. She captured the rookie of the year title that summer with a scoring average of 14.9 points. She was named to the 2001 WNBA All-Star team and was picked WNBA Player of the week averaging 22 points on 54% shooting. In 2002 she scored a season high 18 points for the Los Angeles Sparks. Stiles was famously known for her incredible work ethic where she grew up making 1,000 shots a day. Her pro career was sidelined by numerous injuries. Since her playing days she has been an assistant college coach at numerous D1 programs including Missouri State, Oklahoma and Tulsa. info/bio courtesy of Jackie Stiles Online - photo: Great Bend Tribune file photo
